Participatory performance in the secondary music classroom and the paradox of belonging

Abstract

Participatory performance, as defined by Thomas Turino, holds the potential to contribute to enhanced social bonding, cooperation, and the realisation of community among participantsdespite the conflict or 'paradox' between selfexpression and collective affiliation which it often provokes. This study considers how managing this underlying 'paradox of belonging' can positively contribute to the development of participatory performance's social benefits. It presents a case study of practitioner research situated in a UK secondary school, in which pupils (aged eleven to thirteen) faced the paradox of belonging during participatory performances of Terry Riley's In C. Pupils perceived an emerging conflict between individual ability and interpersonal affinity, and in response proposed and practised different models of leadership to avoid, activate, and transcend the paradox. The study concludes by evaluating how these same responses could allow other participatory practices in secondary music classrooms to equip pupils to negotiate the paradox of belonging.

Coordinating actions as active agents in a dynamic musical environment: Comment on “Musical engagement as a duet of tight synchrony and loose interpretability” by Tal-Chen Rabinowitch

“…Through history, musical education has frequently been overly focused on identifying musically talented individuals rather than developing inclusive and encouraging musical environments. Presenting musical engagement as a celebration of musical talent and virtuosity as genius while threatening to exclude other less 'gifted' individuals from this process from a young age leads to a form of tightness tinged with a competitive feel [21,22]. This competitiveness, when combined with an aim towards a finished artistic product over individual experiences, leaves little room to accommodate or support those with weaknesses.…”

The Development of Soft Skills through Music in Educational Contexts: A Systematic Review

“…Collaboration is another skill in where music has an important influence, facilitating the acquisition of social bonds [53], mainly through participation in educational settings [41,51], group music practice [56,62], and teacher training [46].…”

“…Music enables the development of social skills in individuals in certain settings [31,32,46,62], mostly through participation in choral ensembles [25,45,52,60], through participation in traditional music groups [48], or through participation in music education programs [51]. Additionally, it promotes interaction between subjects by improving communication strategies [16,29,33,[41][42][43]46,49,51,53,61].…”

Conceptualizing Musical Vulnerability

“…While its success can be highly rewarding and lead to a sense of personal achievement and social affiliation, without careful management and understanding of the paradox between individual contributions and collective interests it can quickly dissolve into a frustrating and unsatisfying experience. 55…”